Description:

Louis Chevrolet Superb TLS Re: Starting Mechanism of Airplane Engines, Addressed to Russian Jewish Mechanical Engineer

A 1p typed letter signed by Louis-Joseph Chevrolet (1878-1941), the motor car and airplane entrepreneur, as "Louis Chevrolet" near bottom right. Written in Baltimore, Maryland, the headquarters of Chevrolet's newly formed company the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation, on November 6, 1930. On a single leaf of business stationery with the red, white, and blue "Chevrolet / Aircraft Corporation / Engines / Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A." logo at the letterhead. Light overall toning and double hole-punched along the bottom edge. Expected wear including transmittal folds, else near fine. 8.375" x 11."

President of the Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation Louis Chevrolet wrote this letter to a freelance mechanical engineer from Philadelphia named Joseph S. Pecker.

Chevrolet wrote in part, "In regard to the Heywood Starter, we have not made any provisions on our motor for that starter, but should it be required this could be done. It means the addition of a small drilled and tapped boss on the cylinder head, and this could be added before starting our production…"

Louis Chevrolet's name became indelibly linked with the American automobile industry after he co-founded the Chevrolet Motor Company in 1911. His involvement in the manufacturing of airplane engines was significant though less well-known. In 1927, Chevrolet co-founded the short-lived Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation with partner and aviator Glenn L. Martin. Their Model D-333 4-cylinder airplane engine was patented in 1930. The Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation was renamed the Glenn L. Martin Motors Corporation in 1931.

In the early 20th century, there was often considerable overlap between the design and manufacturing of motor car and aircraft parts. Take the Heywood Starter, for instance--the subject of this letter. Manufactured by Detroit's Heywood Starter Corporation, the eponymous starter was touted for its "never-failing" ignition system used in more heavy-duty, industrial machinery including automobiles and aircraft engines.

Chevrolet's correspondent Joseph S. Pecker was born Joseph S. Gerwin (ca. 1894-1947). A Russian Jewish immigrant, Pecker became a naturalized American citizen after arriving in the United States in 1902. His profession in the 1930 and 1940 U.S. censuses was listed as a mechanical engineer; 1940 census records indicate that his annual salary topped $5,000. Pecker developed various machinery and light industrial devices on a contractual basis. His patents filed with the U.S. Patent Office range from a centrifugal separating machine in 1934; a cooking, heating, and sterilizing device in 1935; a felt-treating machine in 1939; and a machine to press articles from powders (posthumous via an assignor in 1949).

In addition to co-founding the Chevrolet Motor Company and Chevrolet Aircraft Corporation, Chevrolet also established the Frontenac Motor Corporation and was a professional race car driver.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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